Binding or cover for books.



PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

G. D. EMERSON.

BINDING 0R COVER. FOR BOOKS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17. 1904.

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W/ZJgQZITNESSESZ ewwm NITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

BINDING OR COVER FOR BOOKS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 78 3,033, dated April 25, 1905.

Application filed June 17, 1904:. Serial No. 212,922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT D. EMERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use ful lmprovemcnts in Bindings or Covers for Books, of which the following is a full, com plete, and clear disclosure.

The object of my invention is to produce such arrangements of parts in the cover of a book that the same will be durable and economical to manufacture, besides having other advantages heretofore not obtained in the art. I

It is a well-known fact that in the use of books by those who use public libraries that the continualmoving and placing of the books on the shelves the books and covers soon become worn and mutiliated, especially at those points where the book is grasped in removing from the shelf or othersupport. Those parts which become so mutiliated include particularly the edge of the book at the top and bottom which connects the still sides or covers, as it is the custom to place the finger over the back on the top of the book and pull against the binding to withdraw the same from between other books. It is the object of my invention particularly to strengthen this portion of the book at the top and bottom of the back; and the invention comprises the arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and particularly claimed.

For a full, clear, and exact description of my invention reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which Figure 1 is a view of the inside of the back and sides of a book having my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite sides of the cover and back, parts being broken away and showing the position of the leaves therein.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the stiff cardboard sides of a book, which are connected on the outside by apiece of fabric 2 or other similar flexible material, said fabric having a stiffened portion 3, which is cemented or glued thereto to keep said fabric in shape. In the usual construction of books the fabric 2 is lapped over on the inside of the book and cover at the ends, so as to give a binding to the top and bottom edges of the sides and also the top and bottom of the back or connecting portions. According to my invention, however, I place upon the back and sides of the book at the top and the bottom thereof strips of tough flexible material 5, such as parchment, which are preferably cemented or glued to the sides of the book, as indicated at 6, and which are preferably attached to thesti'ilening portion 3. The flexible connecting portions of the book are then folded over and secured in po sition upon said flexible strips 5, as indicated at et. The remainder of the parts of the book are the same in construction as that ordinarily employedthat is, the flexible or fabric portion 7, which is cemented or glued to the back of the leaves 8, is attached to the sides 1 by being cemented or glued thereto. Finished sheets of paper or other material may be then placed upon the still sides 1 in the usual manner.

It will thus be seen that by inserting the strip of tough flexible material, such as parchment, at the ends of the book I have greatly strengthened those parts which are subject to the greatest wear and which become soonest mutilated. Besides this the strengthening-strip aids in keeping the whole edge of the book stiff, thereby preventing the same from wrinkling, as is often the case, without any tendency to make the back of the book so stiff as to be easily broken.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect under Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A. binding or cover for books, comprising a flexible back, sides connected by said back and strips of tough, flexible material connecting adjacent corners of said sides, the ends of the flexible material of said flexible back being folded over said corners and said strips and retained in said position.

2. A binding or cover for books, comprising a flexible back, sides connected by said back, strips of parchment or similar tough fibrous material connecting adjacent corners of said sides at the ends of said back, for reinforcing the same.

3. A binding or cover for books, comprising a flexible back, having a stiflening portion, sides connected by said back, and reinforcing-strips of tough, flexible material connecting said sides and passing inside of said stiffening portion.

4. A binding or cover for books, comprising aflexible back, a stiffening portion for said back, sides connected bysaid back, and strips of tough, flexible material connecting adjacent corners of said sides, the ends of the flexible material of said back being folded inwardly over said stiffening portions and said strips.

5. A binding or cover for books, comprising a flexible back, sides connected by said back, strips of tough, flexible material connecting adjacent corners of said sides, leaves for said book, said leaves being connected With said sides, by means of a strip of fabric,

Which is cemented to said sides, adjacent their edges, said strips of tough flexible material being independent of said strip of fabric.

6. A binding or cover for books, comprising a flexible back, sides connected by said back, strips of parchment connecting adjacent corners of said sides, leaves for said book, said leaves being connected With said sides, by means of a strip of fabric, which is cemented to said sides, adjacent their edges, said strips of parchment being independent of said strip of fabric.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of June, 1904.

GILBERT D. EMERSON. 

